Vegetarian Star

Inder Bedi, founder of vegan, eco-friendly Matt and Nat handbags and accessories, spoke with the Edmonton Journal about the origins of Matt and Nat, the market for eco-friendly fashion and how he keeps the company’s offices meat-free.

Bedi even touches on the story that made headlines a couple of years ago regarding the employee who took legal action because she couldn’t bring her baloney (pun fully intended) to work.

Here are a few highlights from the interview:

Do people buy Matt and Nat because they support the vegan, eco-friendly philosophy?

A: “Most people buy it because they like the look. When they find out it’s vegan and we use recycled water bottles for linings and we use sustainable materials such as cork, they like that too.”

“I think the key thing in terms of design esthetic, is you have to do what you like and hope that people will appreciate it, versus chasing trends. It’s not a trendy line — it’s more timeless, minimalist.”

What influences Matt and Nat designs?

A: “Everything from architecture to art to music to food to vegan restaurants to fixing your bike … anything.”

(more…)

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“It’s not about the numbers. It’s about the people that we touch. I meet someone who says, ‘I love what you guys stand for.’ I started this business because I wanted to prove to myself, to the world that we could do beautiful products and still stand for compassion.”

—Inder Bedi, founder of Matt and Nat, a vegan fashion label that specializes in bags, belts, wallets and even laptop carrying cases, which were developed for Apple. Bedi recently spoke at an event at Canadian Holt Renfrew department store, where bloggers had the task of styling a mannequin with his apparel.

Source.

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Matt & Nat Apple

Matt and Nat, a vegan handbag and accessories company based in Canada, has a workplace policy on eating that mirrors its business principles. Vegetarian dining is a must on the job and when employees go out for lunches together for work related activities.

The dress policy includes no leather, suede or fur.

And these rules the company has followed for 7 years made one ex-employee angry.

(more…)

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Matt & Nat

Vegan handbag and accessory company Matt & Nat is one of two finalists in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Competition.

Inder Bedi, co-owner and creative director for Matt & Nat, was challenged to go vegan for 30 days. He not only created different recipes, but an eco-friendly, animal-friendly line of handbags that feature faux leather and signature celebrity designs like the Jorja Fox.

The Ernst & Young Young Entrepreneur of the Year award recognizes entrepreneurs in Canada and worldwide for their ability to “drive growth, build communities and transform.” Ernst & Young is one of the largest professional services in the world, along with companies such as PrincewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte. In 2009, Forbes magazine recognized Ernst & Young as the 10th largest private company in the U.S.

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Leanne Hilgart

Several vegetarian/vegan fashion designers are featured in a chron.com article on cruelty-free fashion, including Leanne Hilgart of vegan outerwear company Vaute Couture, Inder Bedi of Matt & Nat handbags and Elizabeth Olsen of Olsen Haus Vegan Shoe.

“Fashion isn’t my background, but I’m interested in fulfilling a need,” Hilgart said. “I didn’t really know if people would respond, so I crossed my fingers. A lot of people ordered their winter coats in June.”

“All the pretty, warm coats weren’t vegan, so I was always cold. I thought I was the only person who wanted one.”

Elizabeth Olsen started Olsen Haus in 2008 and her shoes range from $150-$265.

“There was such a big gap in the market for stylish vegan shoes and, once I went vegan, what was I going to wear?” she said. “I needed to do this. It’s not granola fashion, and I’m not a hippie. I made what I like and what’s on trend.”

Read what else the veg designers have to say at chron.com.

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If you could pick any one celebrity to dress vegan, who would it be?

Obviously those fur wearing hags of Hollywood top the list.

Vegnews.com recently spoke to three vegan fashion designers, Inder Bedi of Matt & Nat, Elizabeth Olsen of OlsenHaus, and Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart of Vaute Couture on who they’d like to play dress up with.

Leanne of Vaute Couture answered:

“I adore Ginnifer Goodwin, and she has just reserved her own Vaute coat! This made my month. Next, I would flip to dress Ellen [DeGeneres]. To steal the immortal words of Sting, “Every little thing she does is magic.” For non-vegan celebrity, Audrey Hepburn is my all-time favorite.”

Inder would like to take his fashion stab at Natalie Portman and Madonna.

Emily Deschanel and Cameron Diaz are favorites for Olsen.

If you want to copy Ginnifer’s style, you can choose your very own Vaute coat online at vautecouture.com.

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“The product/design has to be there first. At the end of the day, when it comes to fashion, people still buy the product first and then the story.”

—-Inder Bedi, founder of Matt & Nat, a vegan handbag business, on what makes their products successful during an interview with the LA Times.

Matt & Nat products have been given love by Ellen DeGeneres, and Jorja Fox has a Matt & Nat purse named after her.

Hmmm…we wonder what it takes to get a vegan bag named after  you…

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Ellen DeGeneres loves to give them away.

Jorja Fox has a purse named after her.

Yeah, you know what we’re talking about. The vegan Matt & Nat handbag collection!

VegNews magazine caught up with Inder Bedi, founder of Matt & Nat, to talk about the cool perks of owning and running a vegan business.

Not only is this guy successful financially, he gives back, including feeding indigent people vegetarian meals.

“We give back to many different types of charities all over North America and Europe, from animal-rights to battered women’s shelters to feeding 400 homeless people a vegetarian meal twice a year in Montreal. An example of all this is a new brand we just launched, Samsara. One dollar for every bag sold goes to the charity of your choice. In three months since the launch, we’ve already committed more than $16,000!”

Check out the rest of Inder’s interview at VegNews.com.

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